What is safety leadership? A systematic review of definitions. September 25, 2024

https://psnet.ahrq.gov/issue/what-safety-leadership-systematic-review-definitions What is safety leadership? A systematic review of definitions. Adra I, Giga S, Hardy C, et al. J Safety Res. 2024;90:181-191. Leadership commitment to safety strongly influences staff commitment to safety. This review sought to identify definitions and themes of "safety leadership." Three themes were derived from the definitions: 1) safety leadership improves safety performance; 2) safety leaders lead by influence and example, not authority; and 3) safety leadership can be practiced by leaders at all levels of the organization. Transformational and transactional leadership formed the foundation for many definitions, though the authors advise adopting multiple forms of leadership styles. The authors propose that future research focus on the relationship between leadership style and safety climate.